We have mailed Notices of Value to the owners of all property in Pierce County. The postcards state the value of the property as of January 1, 2015, and compare it with the value from the previous year. In general, residential property in Pierce County has gone up an average of 6.6% in the past year, and commercial property has increased 2.25%. This marks the third year of recovery from the sharp drop in property values during 2009 to 2012.

The average home value in Pierce County increased from $217,964 last year to $232,497 this year. Values increased at varying rates depending upon location. For example, residential values in Buckley rose 11.3% while those in DuPont went up only an average of 1.4%. These figures are the result of actual sales of similar properties taking place during 2014, and the annual physical inspection of one-sixth of all properties in the County by our team of appraisers.

If you do not agree that we have placed a true and fair value on your property, you have the right to appeal. On this website, you can see the information we have about your property by clicking on “Property Tax & Value” above, then entering your parcel number or address. If you wish to appeal the value, click on “Appeals” in the menu to the left, for the steps to follow. Appeals must be filed with the Board of Equalization no later than September 4, 2015.

Your property value determines your fair share of taxes to be billed in February of 2016 for many local government services. Your actual tax next year will depend largely on voted taxes in the school, fire and park districts, etc. where your property is located. Therefore, an increase in value does not mean a corresponding increase in your tax bill—it is just one of the factors. If you want to learn more about property values and taxes, click on various topics in the menu to the left of your screen.

Your 2015 Property Tax

Property Tax amounts for 2015 are now posted on this website and statements are being mailed to taxpayers. First half payment are due no later than April 30.

Assessor-Treasurer's office adds one billion dollars of New Construction value to Pierce County tax rolls in 2014.

Property Values Increase

Trends in home values are raising many Pierce County property assessments.

Thank you for your patience! The "Pay Property Taxes Online" tab on the left side of your screen is now working. We apologize for the delay, but we wanted to test the new payment process to make sure it will work smoothly for you.

Please feel free to click on it in order to pay your property taxes by Credit Card, Debit Card, or E-Check. You will be linked to our new vendor, "Point & Pay," to make the secure transaction. There you will also see contact information in case you have any questions or difficulty while making your tax payment.

Keep in mind that there will be a small fee for paying by E-Check or Debit, and a percentage fee charged by Point & Pay for using your Credit Card. The Assessor-Treasurer is not allowed by law to absorb these fees; they are the responsibility of the taxpayer.

NEWS FROM YOUR ASSESSOR-TREASURER

Thanks for the many positive comments about our improved website. We continue to innovate and improve the methods we use to value all Pierce County residential and commercial properties, the ways we communicate with taxpayers, and how we collect property taxes to provide the many services of local government. We have adopted the motto "Better every day", and will apply it to all areas of our office. I'll keep you informed of our progress here from time to time.

In the "Contact Us" area to the right of your screen, you will see a box that says "Have a Question?/Click to chat live." This is our new Live Chat feature, allowing you to communicate online directly with one of our Customer Service representatives during office hours. Yes, you can still call, write, email or visit us, but this new way of getting quick answers is already becoming popular.

We are now half-way through our current annual cycle of Physical Inspection of properties - each year one-sixth of the 320,000 parcels in Pierce County are viewed by our appraisers. This is done to make sure our records are accurate and note any changes that affect the value for tax purposes. During 2014 we are inspecting all residential properties on the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsulas and Fox Island. It's often not necessary to talk with the owner or occupant, but if we have a question, we will knock on your door or leave a calling card.

Finally, we welcome our new Certified and Accredited Appraiser to our team, Larry Claunch. He brings many years of appraisal experience, to help us value your property fairly and equitably.

Better Every Day,

Mike Lonergan

Live Chat for Property Tax Questions

News from PCTV--Now you can chat by computer with your Assessor-Treasurer's office if you have a question about your property tax statements.

To learn more about property valuations, please call us at (253) 798-6111, send us an email, or visit the Property Assessment section of our website.

Appraisal Swearing-In Ceremony

All property appraisers employed by Pierce County have re-affirmed their oath of office. County Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan administered the oath to members of his staff, and presented them with framed certificates.

The Oath reads in part, "I will, to the best of my judgment, skill and ability; truly, faithfully, diligently and impartially perform the duties as an Appraiser, as such duties are prescribed by law, so help me God. "

The appraisers serve on four teams within the Assessor-Treasurer's office: residential, commercial, statistical and appeals. Each of them is Accredited by the Washington State Department of Revenue to evaluate property for tax purposes.

Welcome to the Assessor-Treasurer's Website

Here you’ll find a wealth of information about each of the 330,000properties in Pierce County, by clicking on our popular Parcel Search.You’ll also get answers to frequently asked questions about your property taxes—how values and rates are determined, where the funds collected (about $1 billion per year) are used, and how to go about seeking exemptions, deferrals and appeals. You can even pay your taxes online!

As your Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer, I am honored to lead a team of 70 people dedicated to serving you with respect and earning your trust.While almost no one enjoys paying taxes, we all understand that schools, roads, libraries, parks and public safety need our support. Our pledge to you is that we will make every effort to see that you are taxed fairly and correctly, and if we do make a mistake, we’ll fix it.

On behalf of over 100 taxing districts in Pierce County which are served by the Assessor-Treasurer’s office, thank you for making these public services possible by your property tax support. If you have questions or concerns that are not addressed on this website—or an idea to improve our service to you, please contact us.